untapped potential in agroturism

The latest discovery by the government of the Republic of Malta is that of the Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco when he stated that "Malta has considerable untapped potential in agrotourism and rural tourism"

Isn't that great?

Don't worry Hon. de Marco, nobody in beloved Malta will ever call you a tree-hugger :)

Speaking at the EMCS forum at the Hilton last Wednesday, he said this went beyond accommodation to rural weddings, wine tours and visits to producers of delicatessen items. Click on the items to read more possibilities!

He said that the internationalisation of property needed a coherent strategy that brought together both the public and private sector. This would have to ensure that quality remained a priority.

Linking property to tourism, he said that millions travel to owner-owned property - 15 million from Malta's four main markets in Europe alone. These increased by 6.1 per cent last year over 2006. In addition, they stay longer on average - two nights over the average for all types of tourists.

Thank God for this realization. Well done de Marco. Slowly slowly we can get there. Just put the money where the.......

Agro and Eco Holidays in Gozo

Reading the Sunday newspapers today I was so pleased to read a contribution as a letter to the Sunday Independent Editor under the name of Not. J. L. Attard (Read HERE).Not sure if Attard is the one I know.

Although the first part of his letter was focused on statistical figures of unemployment written in quite a partisan way and thus bashing the PN government, the rest of his letter was positive. I am so pleased that finally another Gozitan can see a solution to create more jobs in Gozo by investing in the agri-tourism sector.


Two summers ago, an SBS Radio representative visited Gozo. She and her family participated in one of the experiences offered by the Ager Foundation. She interviewed me (in Maltese) and some of the service providers - farmers. I downloaded the sound clip from the Sydney Radio and created the video clip below and added it to the new Ager Foundation Youtube page.

Halib tal-bodbod jew tal-muntun?

Hekk kif jaslu, Zeppi jistaqsihom: "Biex triduh il-kafe'? bil-halib tal-bodbod jew tal-muntun?"

U ghal mistoqsija bhal din ikollna diversi twegibiet:

"Xorta wahda ghalija"

"Nippreferi nduqhom it-tnejn jekk ma jimpurtax"

"Tal-bodbod OK."

"Ha nipprova tal-muntun. Mhux xorta?"

Imma jkun hemm min jinduna li r-rahhala taghna jghadduha fin-nejk.

Mill-bidu jindunaw li ser jghaddu gurnata relax.

Tiskanta imma fl-istess hin ma tistaghgibx.

Huma hafna dawk li jigu Ghawdex biex iwettqu wahda mill-esperjenzi li toffri l-Fondazzjon li hloqt jien: Il-Fondazzjoni Ager. Hawn numru ta' nies li tassew jinteressahom l-agro-turizmu. Wahda mill-esperjenzi l-aktar popolari hi meta jaghzlu li jqattghu gurnata ma' rahhal: Maltin, Turisti u studenti.

Jibdew il-programm billi jehdu naqra kafe tajba maghmula mic-cikwejra, hlewwa, qxur tal-laring, tacci tal-qronfol u hwawar ohra. Ikun hawn fejn ir-rahhala li jahdmu mieghi (fosthom Zeppi) jistaqsuhom x'tip ta' halib frisk iridu ma' dan il-kafe li r-rieha tieghu taqsamlek qalbek hekk kif tidhol fid-dar tar-razzett.

Ir-rahhala taghna jahilbu dak il-hin stess ftit halib tan-naghga jew tal-moghza. Ikun ghadu shun u ghidli int x'naqra kafe qed tixrob. Mal-kafe ma jonqsux ftit qriemec maghmulin id-dar stess.

Jibdew ix-xoghol fir-razzett u wara li jitimghu lill-fniek u liz-zrameg, inaddfu l-imxatar halli jitimghu wkoll lin-naghag u lill-moghoz. Marbut ghalih ikollna l-muntun u kulhadd jistaqsi 'l ghaliex. Izda bhalissa l-bodbod (jew il-wott) ikun mitluq mall-moghoz halli jkun jista' jghammar. Ma ghandniex hafna wtut. Wott wiehed bizzejjed ma' merhla moghoz. Kulhadd xortih fid-dinja ighidu. Bhalissa ghandna l-gidien. Il-hrief baqghalhom ftit. Ghandna l-abura u anke l-ghenieqa.

Sakemm il-merhla qed tiekol, inaddfu il-bitha mdaqqsa mid-demel. Jitghallmu kif id-demel jiffermenta u dwar l-uzu tieghu ghall-ucuh tar-raba'.

"X'inhi d-differenza bejn bajda-bajda u bajda-kannella?" Ftit huma dawk li jafu!

U wara li jingabar il-bajd immorru biex nahilbu.

Hawnhekk jibda l-ghors.

Imhatra min jahleb l-ahjar jekk hux l-irgiel inkella n-nisa. Hafna jahsbu li l-irgiel. Mhux dejjem il-kaz. Xi drabi it-tfal ahjar mill-kbar!

Anke dawk li ghall-ewwel ighidu "jaqq", x'hin jigu biex imissu l-bezzul donnhom jithajjru ghax ighidulek li din esperjenza ta' darba.

Wara li jingabar il-halib kollu, immorru insaffuh. Bil-qtar tat-tames, inhallu l-halib isir baqta. Anke din tat-tames, qed insibu li huma ftit wisq dawk li jafu kif isir it-tames mill-istonku tal-haruf ta' xi 10 jew 15-il jum.

Kollu taghlim dan, kemm ghat-tfal u anke ghal kbar. Jiehdu gost il-familji kollha li jigu. Anke dawk il-genituri li jigu bl-intenzjoni li ser jiehdu gost it-tfal taghhom - fl-ahhar jispiccaw jitghallmu u jiehdu gost huma wkoll.

Sakemm jghaqad il-halib ikun beda jirrumba. Forsi ma tafx xi tfisser jirrumba. Ma ntikx tort li ma tafx il-brejku, izda tinsiex li jien mill-Gharb u naf xi kelma 'l hawn u 'l hemm. Ikun sar hin l-ikel. Il-Fondazzjoni Ager hija membru tal-Moviment Slow Food. Ghalhekk it-tip ta' tisjir huwa tisjir li jsir bil-mod - fil-forn.

U l-esperjenza ma tieqafx hawn.

Issa li l-halib sar baqta, irridu naghmluh gbejniet. U allura b'idejn nodfa, irridu naqbdu l-qaleb u naghmlu l-gbejna. F'dixx s'intendi halli johrog ix-xorrox.

U mbaghad irridu ngizzu xi naghga bil-gelem. Is-suf tan-naghag ikun hemm min jigbru halli jnaddfu u jibqa' tifkira.

Mhux biss familji jaghzlu li jqattu jum b'differenza f'Ghawdex permezz ta' l-agro turizmu, izda anke ghalliema bil-klassijiet taghhom. Gieli gew studenti Universitarji tal-Home Economics u anke mid-dipartiment tal-Malti peress li waqt esperenza bhal din ikollhom ic-cans jitghallmu kliem Malti safi li illum tista' tghid li ftit li xejn ghadu jintuza. U x'hemm isbah milli titghallem il-lingwa minn fomm dak li jkun?
Illum, perezempju, gew studenti mill-iskola ta' Stella Maris (Gzira). Hadt gost li l-Kap ta' l-iskola giet ukoll flimkien ma' l-ghalliema tal-klassi. Kienu ppreparati sa snienhom. L-ghalliema anke ipproduciet workbook. Il-Kap ta' l-iskola kienet tassew intiza fis-suggett. Kienet tidher mara li ghandha passat qrib in-natura. Wriet interess liema bhalu. Skoprejt li hija Ghawdxija. Omm J'accuse - Jacques Rene' Zammit. Ghandha tibghatlu ritratt ghal fuq il-blog tieghu. Omm J'accuse kienet taf ezatt li la l-bodbod u lanqas il-muntun ma jahilbu.